Movable line-finder.



A. c. ROEBUCK.

MOVABLE LINE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-27. m5. 1 ,272, 1 1 1 Patented July 9, 1918. I 2SHEETS-SH ET A. C. ROEBUCK.

MOVABLE LINE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. ms.

Patented July 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. 35; print capitals,

' nrr s'rs l ALVAHC. nonstick, or wo'ons'rook, irrn'v c ns, 'zlssren'oiaTo woons'rock answering COMPANY,'OF wo'on's'roc'k, IL I'NoIs, ACORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

MOVABLE LINE-FINDER.

Specification of Letters-latent.

Patented Julyk9, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, ALvAH O. RonBUoK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Woodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Line-Finders, of which the following is a specification. v p I Thisinventionrelates'to typewriters, and more particularly to that portion of atypewriter which is known as a line finder, and the principal object ofthe invention is to provide a shiftable or movable line finder whichwill travel with the platen and be in position with respect thereto inany-shifted position of the platen. e

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation with parts shown in sectionillustrating the inventionas applied to those ,parts of a typewriter towhich it appertains; Fig. 2 isa' plan viewbf the line finder taken 'on aline just below the carriage frame, Fig. 3

is a front view, and Fig. dis a perspective .5 of the finder proper.

Non-sh'ftable line finders are in common use but are objectionable forthe reason that there is no line finder when the platen is shifted, asfor example, when it is desired ;to write a line of capitalletters, andalso when the writing comes near to the bottom of the sheet,-andespecially on the last one or two lines, when bringing the platen tonormal position after it hasbeen shifted to I the edge of the paperhaving been shifted beyond the line finder, the

paper-catches on the line finder as the platen is returned to normalv,position. In the present invention these difficulties are overcome soby making the line finder "shiftable as the i I platen is shiftedQ-byattac ling it to one'of the movable parts, such asthe shift rail, bymeans of which the platen is shifted.

Referring more particularly to the draw- 4 -ings, the numeral 1designates generally the frame or top vplate of a typewriter machine towhich the parts are secured and by which they are supported. Secured tothe frame 1 are rails 2 and a carriage 3 has rails 4: with which thecarriage is slidable in the well known manner. A sub-carriage 5shiftably mounted in the carriage-3 and supports a rotatable platen 6. Awheel bracket 7 is secured to the sub-carriage frame "and sup- 55'ports'a wheel 8 at its lower end.

The carriage shift frame comprises a rock shaft 9 pivotally mounted inthetypewriter frame and a shift rail 10 is connected to the rock-shaftby frame parts 11. It is understood, of course, that the carriage "shiftframe is rocked by means of a key located in the keyboard of thetypewriter and shiftable thereby for uppercase writing, itbeingunnecessary to show this operating connection in the presentexempli-fication of the invention. V

In front of and below the platen is a type bar segment -12 in which thetype bars '13 are pivoted, and at the upper end of'the segmentis a typebarguide 14. Between the rear of the segment 12 and one of the frameparts 1, asshown in Fig. 1, is a 'spa'ce'in which is a ribbon vibrator15 and a movable line finder '16. The ribbon'vibrator is connected to alever 17 which 'is'pivote'd to the carriage shift frame and oscillatedin a well known manner by the action (if the type bars,the degree ofoscillationof the vibrator being varied inaccordance with the positionof the platen since the lever 17 is pivoted to the carriageshift frame.7

Connected to the bottom of the front frame part 1, as shown in Fig. 1,is a bracket 18 having-arms spaced apart for supporting a shaft 19.Mounted on the shaft is 'a bell crank having arms 20 and'21, the latterof which is connected by means of a link 22 with a bracket 23 fixed onone of the frame parts 11 of the carriage shift frame.

The shiftable line finder consists of a single piece of material havingupperextrem'ities 24 disposed atthe sides of the type 'bar guide 14:,graduated at ,thei'rupper edges and bent slightly at the extremity sothat they bearagainst the platen 6-.at the printing line. At the lowerend of the line 'finde'r it is formed at the sides with ears 25 to whicharms 20 of the bellcrank are connected. Intermediate the ears 25 is-aspring tongue26 which extends rearwardly and downwardly from the body ofthe line finder and 'is formed at the end with a 'boss 27 in which anadjusting screw 28 is threaded. This adjusting screw is adapted to bearagainst the shift rail 10 and the tongue being of spring material causesa slight tension .to be exerted upon the upper extremities 2 10f theline finder so that they 'bear resiliently against the platen '6. Inoperation the carriage shift frame is operated in the ordinary manner bymeans of a key lever and the position of the line finder 16 is varied inac-' cordance withthe position of the shift frame and consequently theposition of the platen 6 by means of its connection with the shiftframe, so that in whatever position the platen may be the line finderwill define the actual printing line. Since the line finder shifts withthe platen there will be no tendency of the paper, even when writing atthe bottom thereof, to slip from its position on the platen because itengages with the line finder, for the shiftable line finder will tend tohold the bottom of the paper in position against the platen and thiswill materially assist in writing a line at the bottom of a sheet byholding the paper in proper posltion and thereby preserving thealinement.

'What I claim is:' V

1. In a typewriter, the combination of a shiftable platen, and a linefinder separately pivoted in the typewriter frame havmg a connectionwhich shifts the finder when the platen is shifted,

2. In a typewriter, the combination with a platen, of means to shift theplaten, and a line finder separately mounted on the typewriter having amovable connection with the means and shiftable in accordance with themovement of the platen. V I

3. In a typewriter, the combination with a shiftable platen, and a linefinder pivoted in the typewriter'frame and free from dlrect connectionwith the platen but havin a portion to engage the platen and define theprinting line thereon and shiftablewith the platen. V

4:- In a typewriter, the combinat1on wlth a vertically shiftable platen,of a frame for shifting the platen to its various positlons, a linefinder movably supported by the typewriter frame and having a portion toengage the platen, and a link connection between the frame and the linefinder for shifting the line finder in accordance with the shiftingmovementof the platen.

5. In a typewriter, the combination with a vertically shiftable platen,of a pivotally mounted shiftin frame for the platen, a vertically movabe line finder separate from the frame, and a positive connection betweenthe line finder and the pivotally mounted frame for oscillating the linefinder in accordance with the shiftingmovement of the platen. I V a .6.In a typewriter, the combination with a shiftable platen, of means forshifting the platen, -a line finder mounted in the typewriter frameindependent of said means and having anupper edge adapted to engage theplaten, means to move the line finder in accordance with the movement ofthe platen, and asprin tending to press the upper edge of the line deragainst the platen. I,

7 In a typewriter, the combination with a vertically movable platen, ofa pivoted shift rail for moving the platen, a pivoted vertically movableline finder independently mounted in the typewriter frame having anupper edge adapted to engage the platen, a spring tongue tending topress the upper edge in engagement with the platen, and a positiveconnection between the line finder and the shift rail to oscillate theline finder in accordance with the vertical movement of the platen.

8. Ina typewriter, the combination with a platen, of a pivotally mountedshift rail for moving the platen vertically a line finder having anupper edge adapted to engage the platen, and a spring tongue at itslower edge,

means forming a direct oscillating connec-' tion between the line finderand the shift rail, and an adjustable screw inthe'spring tongue adaptedto bear against theshift rail to press the upper edge of the line finderin engagement with the platen. V

9. In a typewriter, a shiftable line finder: consisting of a singlepiece of. material for moving the platen, a line finder verticallyoscillatable at the front and below the platen having a bent upper edgeadapted to engage the platenbelow the printing line, a posltiveconnection including a bell crank between,

the line finder and the shift rail, and a spring tongue having a boss atone end and screwthreaded in the boss for engaging the shift rail topress the upper end of the line finder yieldingly against the platen. c

11. In a typewriter, a frame, a platen shiftable in the frame,

platen, a line finder having an upper edge a shift rail for-otheradapted to engage'the platen just below the printing line and withprojecting ears at, the lower endthereof, a bracket supported by theframe, a shaft mounted in the bracket, a bell crank secured to the shafthaving connection with the ears of the line. finder and with the shiftrail for moving the line finder in accordance with the movement of theshif rail, and a spring tongue in connection with the linefinder adaptedto engage a relatively fixed part to press the upper end of the linefinder yieldingly against the platen.

12. In a typewriter, the combination with a vertlcally' movable platen,of means for, sh1ft1ng the platen to Various vertical posi-,

tions, as type bar guide, a line finder 'inde pendently mounted in thetypewriter-frame reciprocable at the rear of the typevbar guide with aforked upper end, the extremities of which are at the sides of the typebar guide spaced therefrom and defining the printing line, and a linkconnection between the line finder and the said platen shifting means tomove the line finder in accordancewith the movement of the platen.

13. In a typewriter, the combination with a shiftable frame, of a railfor shifting the frame, a vertically movable line finder, means forseparately mounting the line finder, and connecting means between therail and the line finder for moving the latter in accordance with themovement of the platen.

14. In a typewriter, a shiftable platen, a rail for shifting the platen,a pivoted and vertically movable line finder, and a separate linkconnection between the shift rail and the Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the line finder for movingthe latter in accordancewith the movement of the platen.

15. In a typewriter, a shiftable platen, means for shifting the platen,a bell crank, a line finder pivoted to one arm of the bell crank andmovable vertically thereby, and means connecting the other arm of thebell crank and the means for shifting the platen so that the line finderwill be moved in accordance with the movement of the platen.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 24th day of May A. D.1915.

ALVAH C. ROEBUCK.

Witnesses:

L. E. HoUsHoLDER, W. J. NOBLE.

Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, I). 0.

